What Sergi Roberto can offer Barcelona in Pedri's absence against Man Utd
It's been a turbulent few years for Barcelona and Manchester United, but their thrilling Europa League knockout round play-off encounter at Camp Nou last Thursday depicted their respective re-emergences at the top level.
An utterly thrilling second half eventually saw the pair share the spoils 2-2, setting up an eagerly-anticipated second leg at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils have found their groove and some under Erik ten Hag, while Xavi Hernandez looks poised to guide Barca to the La Liga title. Another classic is surely in store in the return leg, even if the visitors will be without a couple of key men.
One particular absence that's poised to compromise Barcelona's cause is Pedri, who will miss Thursday's game. The young midfielder could be replaced by Sergi Roberto in Xavi's starting XI, and he'll have a mighty big job on his hands to fill the youngster's boots.
Why Pedri will miss Thursday's second leg against Man Utd
Before things got a little bit wild in Catalonia, Barcelona were dealt a huge blow as Pedri trudged off the field in the first half.
The Spaniard picked up a hamstring injury and was immediately withdrawn from proceedings by Xavi before he could inflict any more damage. He is set to be sidelined for a month, ruling him out of not only the clash with United and La Liga fixtures, but potentially the first leg of the club's Copa del Rey semi-final tie with Clasico rivals Real Madrid.
Why losing Pedri is a massive blow to Barcelona
Pedri is a budding superstar; a midfielder that's already excelled under the brightest lights.
The Spaniard's genius has allowed Xavi to facilitate a successful system switch this season that includes the deployment of an extra midfielder in the front line. Gavi has typically been used in the more advanced function, almost replicating the role Andres Iniesta occasionally performed during the Pep Guardiola era in Catalonia.
While Gavi tucks in from the left to ensure Barca dominate in central areas, Pedri operates from the right-side of midfield where he can wreak havoc in the half-space. The diminutive Spaniard is imperative to Xavi's framework. Before his injury, Pedri had started the most games (18) and played the most minutes (1,632) for Barcelona in La Liga.
The midfielder loves to roam from his position and his genius in possession allows him to perform almost any action with the ball at his feet. He's one of the very best in the world at retaining possession in tight areas, and is a wonderful interpreter of space. Pedri possesses the very best attributes of Thomas Muller and Luka Modric to create a generationally gifted midfielder.
He's started to add goals to his game, too. Only Robert Lewandowski (15 goals) has struck more times for the Catalans than Pedri (six goals) in La Liga, but critically, his strikes have proved decisive. Pedri's goals have garnered Barcelona ten points in the league this season - the joint-most by any player in the division.
In essence, Pedri is the beating heart of Xavi's project.
What can Sergi Roberto provide in Barcelona's midfield?
Pedri's injury was quickly exacerbated by Gavi's yellow card last Thursday which meant he'd also miss the return leg through suspension.
The visitors will be buoyed by the projected return of Sergio Busquets at the base of midfield, with Xavi set to revert to a more traditional 4-3-3 with Roberto replacing Pedri and Ansu Fati likely lining up down the left flank.
Roberto has been a dependable member of the Barcelona squad for a very long time. The versatile Spaniard's enjoyed his fair share of big moments, including the winner in La Remontada, but he's also a limited footballer who doesn't come close to matching Pedri's ingenuity with the ball.
Roberto's a functional midfielder, and much of the progressive burden on Thursday night will fall on Frenkie de Jong as a result. A big performance from the Dutchman is needed if Barcelona are to match Man Utd in midfield. Nevertheless, Roberto does offer experience and nous. He won't shirk his responsibilities at Old Trafford and will try his utmost to disrupt the hosts via his work rate out of possession.
The 31-year-old will run his socks off, that's for sure, and he does offer defensive diligence and tenacity in the middle of the park. While his sample size is smaller, Roberto averages more tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes (per FBref) in La Liga (2.86) than both Gavi (2.67) and Pedri (2.65) this season.
Will the unlikely hero re-emerge once again on Thursday night?